This week’s recipe is another family favorite: California Roll Sushi Bowls.
I hesitated calling this a “recipe.” It’s really more of an idea that takes the California rolls we all love and turns them into an easy weeknight dinner that requires very little cooking.
My family loves sushi, and during Covid (out of necessity), we learned how to make our own California rolls. While it was a lot of fun, it can also be quite a bit of work to assemble the rolls.
These sushi bowls combine the yummy flavor of California rolls, but eliminate the hard labor. I use fresh lump crab because Costco usually carries it, but you can certainly use imitation crabmeat.
What I love about bowls is that everyone can customize their own. We like traditional California roll toppings–cucumber and avocado, but sometimes also add shelled edamame and chopped green onions. We also like Furikake seasoning—a mixture of sesame seeds, nori (seaweed), and salt. Trader Joe’s sells a great one, but toasted sesame seeds are also great on their own.
California Roll Sushi Bowls
For rice:
2 cups uncooked rice (white, brown, or sushi rice)
2-4 T seasoned rice vinegar
Cook rice according to package directions or in a rice cooker. Once rice is cooked, add seasoned rice vinegar to taste. This is what gives traditional sushi rice a little flavor. If you can’t find seasoned rice vinegar, combine unseasoned rice vinegar with a little sugar and salt until combined. While rice is cooking, prepare crab mix and other toppings.
For crab mix:
1 lb lump crab meat or imitation crab, finely chopped
2-4 T mayo
2-4 T Sriracha, optional
Combine chopped crab with mayo to taste and desired consistency. If you don’t like mayo, skip this step. For spicy crab mix (shown here), add Sriracha to taste.
Toppings:
1-2 cucumbers, chopped
1-2 avocados, chopped or sliced
Furikake seasoning or toasted sesame seeds
Shelled edamame, optional
Chopped green onions, optional
Pickled ginger, optional
Wasabi paste, optional
Sriracha, optional
To make bowls, start with cooked and seasoned rice. Top with crab mix, cucumbers, avocados, furikake seasoning and other toppings to taste.
Enjoy!
